Unlike the last time though, Jax had a lot to live for. A lot to lose. He opened his eyes, relieved to see a small sliver of sunlight coming through the window. At least his eye was getting better. It had gotten swollen shut after he’d cried and screamed for his daughter.
The man that kidnapped him had hit him in the face repeatedly, causing his eyes to swell, but it was better than the alternative. After what he’d shared with Ryder, Jax didn’t want to think about that ...
He said another prayer to the Goddess.
Jax heard movement and a shadow crossed his path.
He cleared his throat, but his voice still sounded raspy from lack of use. “Please, let me see my daughter.”
“Sing another song, man.” The voice sounded bored. But Jax wasn’t deterred. “It’s been so long!” Jax whimpered. “Is she okay? Please … I need to see her! She needs me; I’m her Papa, she’s probably scared. Please.” He tried to move his tied hands, but it was no use. They were bound. “Please …” he begged again.
“Do you ever shut up? Maybe I should give you something better to do with your mouth; I hear you’re quite good at it,” the man mused and took a step towards Jax.
Jax started to shake and backed away, pressing himself against the wall.Please, no. Goddess, please, all I want is to be free. To see my Tabby again, and Ryder. I swear I’ll never ask for anything again. Just get me out of here.
He took a deep breath and realized that the man was speaking again, but not to him.
“I don’t know how much longer I can hold this fucker,” he said. “He keeps whining about his daughter.” There was a long pause. He was listening to someone. Jax waited, his heart pounding frantically in his chest. “Okay! See you then, boss.”
“Who was that, please? Will he let me see my daughter?”
He ignored Jax’s question. “You’re lucky the boss has plans for you,” the man said instead and patted Jax’s face. “Or I’d have put you to good use.” He leered at Jax, and revulsion filled him.
The man left the room, and he was left by himself. Jax wasn’t sure how much time passed, but the door opened again, and this time two sets of feet entered the room. He didn’t even look up until he heardthatvoice. “I’ve got it from here.”
Jax recognized the voice immediately. It belonged to the alpha that had terrorized him all those months ago. He froze. When the door closed and it was just the two of them, the alpha spoke—the one he’d been trying to forget.
“Well … well … well. We meet again.”
Jax started to shake. No. No, not again.Ryder, I need your help. Please, where are you? We need you.
“You know I was quite displeased that you took my daughter from me. I had to track you both down; you even made me miss her birth.” He made a tsk tsk sound like he was disappointed and reprimanding an unruly child.
“She’s not your daughter,” Jax whispered. His whole body screamed at him to run, but he knew what that would lead to.
“Like hell, she’s not! I gave you the best of me so you could have her,” the alpha snarled. Then he cleared his throat, and the next time he spoke, his voice was calmer. “There’s just one problem.”
“She’s not yours!” Jax shook his head. “She's not.” Jax knew he should keep his mouth shut, but this man was not Tabby’s anything.
Why does this always happen to me?Why didn’t he deserve happiness?
Jax wanted his daughter and his alpha back, the life he was just starting to build. He wanted to go back to sleep and wake up in Ryder’s arms.
He wanted this moment, this alpha—he knew him as Bo—to be a bad dream. Hadn’t he taken enough from Jax? “She’s not your daughter,” he repeated. Jax was done giving any more of himself. Then he recalled Bo’s words. “Problem? Is Tabby okay? Please, is she okay?”
“Yes, a problem,” the man said. “You will give me my son. My alpha son and heir.” Bo sounded like he’d said the most normal thing in the world. Was the man insane?
“No.” Jax shook his head. “No.”
“Come now, think of our daughter.” Bo’s voice was pleasant, but the look in his eyes was anything but. It brooked no arguments.
“I won’t,” Jax whispered.
“Well, that’s disappointing to hear because our precious daughter is merely being held for insurance … just so you know what’s at stake. Provide me with the son I deserve. Then, perhaps one day, you’ll get to reunite with Tabitha. I’m not an unreasonable man.”
He was dreaming. That was it; this had to be a bad dream. “Please,” Jax whispered.
“Tsk … tsk … tsk,” Bo said, clicking his tongue against his teeth. That fucking sound was starting to make Jax want to punch something. “I don’t think you want to push me now. Do you? You will give me what I want if you want to have any hope of seeing Tabitha alive again. Understood?”
